Unsung Hero
by Starrylibra
Summary: 'You're an unsung hero, so brave and selfless in protecting us... we all owe you our lives' Hermione realises a few things about her Professor.


**Author's note** – I saw another like this, set in Harry's fourth year and thought I'd have a go myself because it's much more interesting than writing an essay on Roman/Greek inscriptions.

**Disclaimer** – If you don't know that J.K Rowling owns everything but this scene, why are you here?

A knock on the door. Failing his second year dunderheads would have to wait. 'Enter' he drawled unenthusiastically. He glanced up as the door slowly opened and was surprised to see the insufferable know-it-all, Granger, nervously hovering at the edge of the threshold. 'Or was that too simple a command for you?' She blushed and hurriedly entered the room, shutting the door behind her. He beckoned towards the seat opposite him and she obliged apprehensively. 'Don't take too long about it, Miss Granger, I have dreams to crush' he said, gesturing to the pile of unmarked essays upon the desk. 'You have managed to evade my office for over five years, what is your reason for breaking tradition?'

She contemplated the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for a moment, wondering where to start. 'Um...' She reddened and he raised his eyebrows. 'Over the summer I did a lot of thinking' she started.

'I hardly think that's a rare past time of yours and any of my concern.'

'But I've realised something and it _does _concern you.'

'Enlighten me, I'm _dying _to hear your thoughts.' Sarcasm oozed from Snape.

'My first year...we saw that your leg was injured and thought you'd let in the troll as a distraction to get past Fluffy. But you were actually just trying to stop Quirrell. And Harry's broom... I thought that you were jinxing it but you weren't. If it wasn't for you, he'd be dead.' She glanced at her Professor but his eyes were firmly on his desk so she continued. 'In my third year you refused to believe that Sirius was innocent, blinded by the past but you saved me, Harry and Ron from Professor Lupin when he turned into a werewolf...'.

'Even after you assaulted me,' Snape interjected with a glare.

Hermione blushed again. 'And I'm sorry, really I am but what Sirius and Lupin were saying about Scabbers seemed to make sense and we just _had _to hear them out! But you're right, you saved us even when we'd given you no reason to.'

Snape scoffed. 'I highly doubt the headmaster would have been pleased if I just stepped back to watch three students – however loathsome – die. It's a teacher's responsibility to protect any student.'

'Fourth year,' Hermione began, over him. 'You just so happened to have Gillyweed in your stores? I didn't see that when I was in there in my second year.' Snape was about to interrupt but she spoke over him again. 'It's not such a stretch of the imagination to assume that you knew it'd end up in Harry's hands. He wouldn't have been able to compete in the task without it, we couldn't find another solution _anywhere_! And when the fake Moody took Harry to his office, you were one of the teachers that saved him.' Snape sighed but said nothing. 'And last year,' she paused and looked him straight in the eye. 'If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be sitting here. You understood Harry's message in Umbridge's office and alerted the Order. None of us would have gotten out of the Ministry alive if they hadn't have come to aid us. You also tried to teach Harry Occlumency -'

'Tried being the operative word.'

'which would have saved us from even going to the Ministry in the first place if he actually would've practised harder.'

'What is your point in all this, Miss Granger?'

'We've all seriously misunderstood you, Professor! Me, Harry and Ron all owe you so much and they don't even realise it. You're an unsung hero, so brave and selfless in protecting us and so I just wanted to thank you – from the three of us. I don't think Harry and Ron would be willing enough to believe all this so I'll thank you on their behalf. But we all owe you our lives and I will never forget that. And I just wanted you to know.'

Severus Snape gazed at the insufferable, seventeen year old witch in front of him. He couldn't believe what he had just heard; never in his life would he have predicted that one of the Golden Trio would have actually declared that he wasn't the enemy. 'Take this to the grave, Miss Granger, I have a reputation to upkeep'. He smirked at her and she weakly smiled back. 'Nor does this mean you're safe from my wrath. You may leave'.

Hermione arose and turned to leave the room, feeling lighter now that she had thanked the man to whom she owed so much and yet slightly disappointed at his reaction. However, as her hand reached the doorknob he called out to her and quietly said two words that meant so much to her. 'You're welcome'. She nodded and left the room. Snape stared at the now shut door for a long while, thinking about the encounter. Smiling to himself he turned his attention once more to the essays on his desk. He scanned the topmost one, 'Another fail – fluxweed most certainly should not be added to a swelling solution.' He looked to the door where Hermione had stood mere minutes ago and smirked again at the thought of her gratitude. 'Only a muggleborn...'


End file.
